At a high level, solar panels are made up of solar cells, which absorb sunlight. They use this sunlight to create direct current (DC) electricity through a process called "the photovoltaic effect.
What is the photovoltaic effect?
The photovoltaic effect is a process that generates voltage or electric current in a photovoltaic cell when it is exposed to sunlight. It is this effect that makes solar panels useful, as it is how the cells within the panel convert sunlight to electrical energy. The photovoltaic effect was first discovered in 1839 by Edmond Becquerel.
All in all, the motion of the electrons when they move in the excited state causes energy formation which also leads to a photoelectric effect in solar panels, which then converts into electricity by the solar cell. This was the principle of the photovoltaic effect on solar panels and solar cells. [Image will be uploaded soon]
Where does the photovoltaic effect occur?
The photovoltaic effect occurs in solar cells. These solar cells are composed of two different types of semiconductors - a p-type and an n-type - that are joined together to create a p-n junction. To read the background on what these semiconductors are and what the junction is, click here.
Photovoltaic (PV) effect is known as a physical process in which that a PV cell converts the sunlight into electricity. When a PV cell is subject to the sunlight, the absorbed amount of light generates electric energy while remaining sunlight can be reflected or passed through.
Why do photovoltaic panels use only sunlight?
However, in practice, the vast majority of photovoltaic panels use exclusively sunlight as an energy source. The French physicist Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel was the one who discovered this phenomenon in 1839 while investigating the interaction between light and electricity, thus marking the beginning of the development of photovoltaic technology.
How does a photovoltaic cell work?
When light photons hit the semiconductor, they can transfer their energy to electrons in the material. This extra energy allows the electrons to break free from their atoms and flow through the material, creating an electric current. The efficiency of a photovoltaic cell is determined by several factors.